Beowulf Flashcards
From whom is Grendel a descendant?
Cane
Where does Beowulf come from?
Geats
In addition to the word monster, what two nouns are used to identify Grendel?
Demon fiend devil
What is the only course of action that allows the Danes of herot to survive Grendel’s attacks?
Fled and stayed deserted and they slept elsewhere.
How many years did Grendel terrorize the Danes?
12 winters/years
What three qualities does Beowulf display in battle?
Courage strength leadership
From whose “high favor” does Beowulf gain his superior fighting ability?
God.
Why does Beowulf decide not to use weapons when he is planning to fight with Grendel?
He wants a fair fight.
During the battle, why do the weapons of the other Geats prove ineffective?
Grendel cast a spell that blunted every mortal man’s blade.
How does Beowulf succeed in mortally wording Grendel?
He broke a bone in his shoulder and tore off his arms.
Three qualities the early Anglo/Saxons admired.
Faith Fair play Courage Strength Confidence Determination Loyalty Strong-minded Bold Leader
What Anglo-Saxon belief is illustrated by the reference to Grendel in lines 309-311?
Wyrd
What does wryd mean?
Fate
Two reasons does Grendel’s mother attack the Danes.
Avenge only son’s death.
Greed
According to the Anglo-Saxons what is better than mourning a friend’s death?
Avenging their death.
What two requests does Beowulf make of Hrothgar before entering the lake?
Be the father and protector of who he leaves behind.
Send the precious gifts he gave to him to Higlac.
What things protect Beowulf in his battle this time?
Hrothgar's helmet Woven mail shirt Shining woven metal God Unferth's Sword
What weapon does Beowulf use to kill Grendel’s mother?
A heavy sword, hammered by giants, strong and blessed with the magic of giants.
What does Beowulf bring him when he leaves the lake? What does he leave behind in the lake? Why?
Took Grendel’s head and hilt of the giants’ jeweled sword, treasures. Hall was full
What causes the fire-breathing dragon to attack the Geats?
Geat steals treasure which is a silver cup (chalice)
At the time of the attack, how long had Beowulf ruled peacefully?
50 years
Who is the only Geat to help Beowulf fight the dragon?
Wiglaf, Wextan’s son
What is the outcome of the battle?
Wiglaf and Beowulf kill dragon but Beowulf gets mortally injured by poisonous dragon bite
What does Beowulf tell the Geats to do with the dragon’s treasure? What do they actually do?
Build a tower and give treasure to people.
Burned kings body and buried the treasure with him.
What was the reason for Beowulf wanting the Geats to build a high tower at the waters edge?
Everyone would see it and know of it and of his name
Remembrance lighthouse
What opinion of Beowulf does the Geats express in the final lines of the poem?
Honor, praise and admiration
No better king ever lived.
Qualities valued by Anglo/Saxons does Wiglaf display?
Courage, loyal, trustworthy, good fighter, doesn’t give up, strength
What does the term flew to glory?
His soul left his body and he is now honored for his lifestyle of winning battles and went to heaven.
Hrothgar
King of the Danes and builder of the great hall of herot
Welthow
Hrothgar’s wife and queen
Esher
Hrothgar’s closest friend and adviser
Unferth
One of hrothgar’s courtiers and his chief spokesman.
Beowulf
Nephew of higlac king of the Geats
Wiglaf
Beowulf kinsmen
Who does Grendel’s mother kill?
One of Beowulf’s friends
Esher
Who were the first inhabitants of the island Britain?
Briton and Picts
Who were the Briton?
Celts of Briton
Gaels
Called island Eireland.
Who was Julius Caesar?
Roman general who wrote commentaries.
What did the Romans call the island? Why?
Britain. After one of the tribes.
What was the name of their capital on the island?
Londinoum.
Why did the romans leave?
To defend Rome
When did Rome fall?
476 A. D.
Who was saint Patrick and what did he do?
A romanized Celt of Britain who brought Christianity to the Gaels of Ireland.
Who was King Arthur and what did he attempt to do?
Christian King of Britain who attempted to push of Saxon forces.
In Ireland, the monks wrote a bible manuscript called?
Book of Kells
Where did the Invaders come from?
Came across the sea, Northern Europe; Germany and Scandinavia
What kind of dialect did the 3 invaders speak?
Germanic dialect
Angleland- England
Anglish- English
Where did the 3 invader tribes push the 3 tribes?
Wales, Ireland, and Scotland.
In addition to their infantry skills, what were the anglosaxons?
Seafaring warriors.
After they invaded, their tribes often…
Fought among themselves.
The Anglo Saxons believed in…
Fate
What is fate
A bleak outlook on life
What is the Anglo-Saxon word for fate?
Wyrd.
What took over after a period of time and the separate kingdoms were united?
Agriculture.
Who were the Anglo-Saxons Christianized by?
St. Augustine and st. Bede
Who was st. Augustine
Began an early monastery at Canterbury.
Who was St. Bede?
Wrote the Ecclesiastical History of the English People which influenced both religion and history.
Who were the new invaders in 800 A.D.?
Danes, Vikings, Norsemen, and Northmen.
Who was the Anglo-Saxon king that fought off the new invaders?
Alfred the Great
Which capital became a center for Anglo-Saxon learning?
Exeter
Who memorized oral literature and passed it down from generation to generation?
Scops
A long narrative poem that recounts in stately language the life of a hero
Epic poetry
What is the earliest story/ poem in the English language?
Beowulf
A shorter poem which expressed thoughts and feelings rather than an epic story.
Lyric poem
Early lyric poetry was often about what?
Religious in nature or about tribal histories and sometimes unrequited love.
Who wrote manuscripts of the scops oral stories?
Scribes
Usually monks
Who is the first English poet that we know by name?
Caedmon
A manuscript in which monks preserved Anglo Saxon poetry.
Exeter book
A yearly record of old English history written in poetry and prose which was written for centuries until the Norman invasion of 1066 AD?
Anglo-Saxon Chronicle
Name Beowulf in old English means.
Bear
Where is the original Beowulf manuscript located?
British museum in London.
What did the Anglo-Saxons call the ocean
Whale road
Sea road
Med
Fermented honey, water and spices, only think safe to drink.
When did the treasure of Sutton Hoo excavation take place?
Spring 1939
When was the most recent excavation of Anglo Saxon treasure?
2009
What kind of style is Beowulf written in?
Epic formal style
What could it been accompanied by?
Sung by scops,
Sometimes accompanied by a lyre.
Germanic interpretation of sun’s day
Sunday
Old English interpretation named after Norse personification of the moon
Monday
Old English Norse god of dueling
One handed
Tuesday.
Wōdens day
Named after often ruler of gods realm, roman connected Woden to mercury
Wednesday
Thor’s day
Norse god of thunder and lightning
Thursday
Freya
Wife of oden
Goddess of love beauty fertility
Friday
Saturns day
Saturday
What happened at the last excavation at Sutton boo?
Blest Anglo-Saxon treasure. The Stanford Shire Terry Herbert.
Where was the first excavation held?
- East coast of England in the area once known as east Arglia.
What happened in august 1939 with a. Coroners jury.
Called upon to decide the legal statues of the Sutton hoo. Finds.
What was the determining factor?
In Beowulf whether or not the person wanted it to be discovered or left alone.
Geoffrey Chaucer
Born in London England. Son of wealth merchant.
Fluent in many languages and was a translator.
Not a professional writer. Wrote in spare time(avocation)
Died in 1400 and was buried in poets corner in Westminster abbey.
Loyalty in Beowulf
Loyalty to lord expected of Anglo Saxons.
Beowulf loyal to higlac
Wiglaf loyal to Beowulf.
